EP3616171B2 - Method for identifying deposit material - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for identifying deposited goods such as deposit bottles and other packaging products subject to a deposit.

Deposit bottles are part of a widespread deposit system in which the customer leaves a deposit with a beverage supplier for a bottle purchased and receives this back when the bottle is returned. In this way, beverage bottles can be used multiple times in a resource-saving and energy-efficient manner. A large number of deposit machines in which deposit bottles are automatically recognized when they are returned are also widespread.

In the DE 10 2009 026 557 A1 An empties return device and a method for operating the same are described. In this process, an identifiable feature that is contained in the empties to be sorted is analyzed. However, this assumes that the deposited goods are in a resting position during the analysis.

In the DE 10 2011 107 704 A1 An input unit for a reverse vending machine is described. In the method described here, a specific positioning of a marking, which is intended to allow identification of the deposited item provided, is necessary for analysis.

In the EP 1235 191 B1 describes a device for the return of rigid or flexible containers for the storage of liquid or solid products by identifying certain parameters.

The prior art methods for identifying pledged property are disadvantageous in several respects. On the one hand, the identification features previously used to identify returnable bottles and other empties are not secure enough, i.e. they are simply incorrect. Particularly due to the high deposit amounts for empties that are common in Germany, significant economic damage can result from deposit fraud. In addition, previously used identification features can easily become illegible due to material aging (light, temperature, chemical effects, etc.).

Likewise, known devices that are used to identify deposited goods often require mechanical transport devices, for example for transporting the deposited goods to the analysis device (eg a conveyor belt) or for orienting the identification feature to the analysis device (eg rotation of a bottle). This results in the disadvantages that the user often has to place the object in the transport device in a certain way (lying, standing, in a certain orientation, etc.), a high level of technical effort is required, and the transport device is not suitable for all object sizes at the same time is suitable and a corresponding method is therefore slow, prone to wear and sensitive to contamination. Finally, it is not possible using the methods of the prior art to deposit items of different sizes using only to identify a single device.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a method for identifying deposited goods that overcomes disadvantages of the prior art, in particular provides increased security against counterfeiting of the deposited goods and enables reliable identification in a simple procedure. The method should also make it possible to easily identify objects of different sizes, whereby the objects can be in motion in order to enable a higher throughput of deposited goods.

These tasks are solved by a method for identifying deposited goods, comprising the steps: step a) providing a device comprising a guide tube in a substantially upright position, which has an inlet and an outlet; and means for analyzing the dynamic luminescence behavior of a luminescent substance; wherein the means for analyzing the dynamic luminescent behavior of the luminescent substance is arranged to analyze the dynamic luminescent behavior of the luminescent substance in the guide tube; Step b) introducing a deposit containing the luminescent substance into the guide tube through the inlet; step c) analyzing the dynamic luminescence behavior of the luminescent substance contained in the deposit during movement of the deposit through the guide tube using the means for analyzing the dynamic luminescence behavior of the luminescent substance; and step d) classifying the deposit according to the result of the analysis, where the dynamic luminescence behavior is the luminescence emission behavior over time, the intensity of the luminescence emission being integrated over the entire spectrum.

The invention relates to a method for identifying deposited goods. For the purposes of the present application, deposited goods are to be understood as packaging that is suitable for reusing itself or its substance. The deposit provided according to the invention can in particular be empties, i.e. containers that are to be returned to the seller after the contents have been used up. In particular, it can be provided that the deposited goods are food containers. It can thus be provided that the deposit is a bottle, in particular a glass bottle, a plastic bottle, etc.

The term “contained” as used with regard to the inclusion of the luminescent substance in the deposit is to be understood broadly within the meaning of the present invention. In particular, this term is also intended to encompass options in which the luminescent substance is contained in a carrier which is then applied to the deposited item, in which the luminescent substance is applied directly, for example by pressure, to the deposited item, etc. A A suitable carrier in this context can in particular be a label, a sticker or a similar application option.

The device used in the method according to the invention comprises a guide tube. This is essentially arranged in an upright position. This means that the guide tube can be arranged perpendicular to the earth's surface in order to enable the deposited goods within the device to fall through the guide tube from the inlet towards the outlet. The term fall implies that the movement of the deposited goods can only take place under the influence of gravity, i.e. in particular without any further mechanical means, such as conveyor belts, mechanically moved rollers, etc. By clarifying that the guide tube should be "essentially" in an upright position, it is intended to make it clear that an oblique arrangement of the guide tube, i.e. an inclination of the guide tube with respect to the earth's surface, can also be provided as long as the movement of the deposited goods is under exclusive Influence of gravity is guaranteed. In this case, the deposit slides on a surface of the guide tube from the inlet towards the outlet.

The guide tube is not limited in terms of its shape, in particular the geometric shape of its diameter. In particular, round, oval, rectangular or polygonal diameters of the guide tube can be provided, as long as it is designed in such a way that the deposited goods can be guided through the guide tube without any problems.

The guide tube can contain devices which make it easier for the deposited goods to slip or prevent them from being blocked by the deposited goods, e.g. vibrators, vibrators, etc.

In particular, it can be provided that the guide tube has a diameter at all points that is larger than that of the deposited item.

Classifying the pledged goods may include distinguishing between authentic and non-authentic pledged goods and/or dividing the pledged goods into classes and/or valuing the pledged goods. Classification can in particular include: distinguishing between authentic and non-authentic pledged goods, dividing the pledged goods into classes based on the classes, evaluating the pledged goods (to determine the deposit amount) and/or sorting the pledged goods. Accept and non-accept are downstream options, also based on the classification.

It is further provided that the dynamic luminescence behavior is the luminescence emission behavior over time.

It is also preferred that the luminescence emission is resolved in time.

It is preferably provided that a decay constant is determined for one or more emission wavelengths or wavelength ranges.

It is also preferred that the luminescence emission is integrated over a fixed period of time.

Provision can also be made for the luminescence emission to be spectrally integrated.

It is also preferred that parameters such as the decay constant are determined from the measured luminescence behavior and compared with target values stored in a database.

It is further preferred that the luminescent substance is selected from the group of fluorescent materials which, after excitation with electromagnetic radiation, emit electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength is larger and/or smaller and/or equal to the excitation wavelength.

Likewise, a method is preferred that determines the dynamic luminescence properties in UV and/or VIS and/or IR.

The method according to the invention is used in particular for the identification and/or authentication of pledged goods

In addition, it is preferred that the means for analyzing the dynamic luminescence behavior of the luminescent substance are arranged in a ring around the guide tube. The term “annular” is to be understood broadly and includes in particular any arrangement that is suitable for detecting the emission or emissions from all solid angles around the deposited item. In particular, the term ring-shaped should not be understood as restrictive with regard to the exact geometric design. An annular arrangement can also include a rectangular or other polygonal arrangement of the means. The annular arrangement enables an orientation-independent analysis of the dynamic luminescence behavior of the luminescent substance contained in the deposit. This takes advantage of the fact that the luminescence spreads isotropically, i.e. in all spatial directions. An alignment of the marking is not necessary in this embodiment due to the annular arrangement of the means for analysis, which simplifies the procedure.

In particular, it can be provided that the means for analyzing the dynamic luminescence behavior of the luminescent substance is a detector device. In the detector device, several detectors can be arranged in a ring. Likewise, the detector device can be formed by a detector which is annular. The latter has the advantage that synchronization of several detectors is not necessary, which significantly simplifies control.

Likewise, in this embodiment, the dynamic luminescence behavior can be measured at a distance from the surface of the deposit, so that the guide tube can be designed for deposit bottles with different diameters and deposits of different sizes. The distance between the detection device and the deposited item can be 0-50 cm, 0-10 cm, 0-5 cm, 0-1 cm. This makes it possible to identify deposit bottles and deposit items of different sizes.

It can also be provided that the method includes a further step (e) after step d): sorting the correspondingly classified deposited goods.

In addition, it is provided that the method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a further step f) after step d): issuing or retaining the correspondingly classified deposit.

To design these embodiments, it can be provided in particular that devices are connected to the outlet and divide the deposited goods into different fractions, depending on the classification.

The sorting can be based on the classification, which is based on the luminescence behavior and/or on other markings, such as bar code/QR code/symbol/item number etc. and/or the shape of the deposited item (e.g. bottle shape) and/or material properties . Additional detectors can be provided to check material properties (e.g. metal detectors).

In particular, it can be provided that the device is a reverse vending machine.

In this embodiment, it can be provided in particular that the reverse vending machine includes other common generic means, such as input devices, output devices for issuing a receipt, etc.

In contrast to absolute measurements of the prior art, it was surprisingly found that relative measurements of optical properties, such as the analysis of the temporal behavior of a luminescence emission, are insensitive to disturbance variables such as additives or accumulated contamination. An identification of deposited goods using relative luminescence properties is therefore not influenced by the inherent, essentially optical properties of the deposited goods to be identified

The luminescence properties can be based on luminescent substances from the group of fluorescent materials. Luminescence is the emission of electromagnetic radiation following the input of energy. It is preferred that the energy input takes place via photons that are observed Luminescence is therefore photoluminescence. The photoluminescence can occur in the UV and/or VIS and/or IR. The wavelength of the emitted electromagnetic radiation can be larger and/or smaller and/or equal to the excitation wavelength.

For example, materials according to the patent application can be used as fluorescent materials DE 10 2014 105 846 A1 be used.

By exploiting dynamic luminescence properties, increased security against counterfeiting can be achieved. This applies in particular to methods in which only the intensity or wavelength of a specific fluorescent label is measured.

One embodiment is characterized in that a luminescence emission behavior is determined over time to identify the deposited item. This means that after the end of the excitation, the emission of luminescence is recorded by measurement within a specified period of time. The measurement recording can be carried out once or several times in a row in the time interval after the luminescence has been stimulated. A fixed dead time can be provided between the end of the excitation and the start of the first measurement. The duration of the individual measurements and thus the time in which the absolute luminescence intensity is integrated can be identical or different. The duration of an individual measurement is 1µs-10ms, preferably 10µs-1ms, even more preferably 50µs-500µs. This procedure opens several options:
After excitation, the luminescence intensity for an emission wavelength or a wavelength range can be determined several times after specified time intervals. Intensity curves over time can be formed from the absolute intensities obtained. This can also be done for multiple emission wavelengths or wavelength ranges. Likewise, intensity ratios can be formed between different emission wavelengths or emission wavelength ranges.

It is also preferred that the decay constant is determined for one or more emission wavelengths or wavelength ranges. The decay constant is understood to be the period of time in which the initial intensity of the emission drops to 1/e-fold.

The method according to the invention is characterized in that the intensity of the luminescence emission is integrated over the entire spectrum. This is advantageous when weak emission signals need to be evaluated.

To detect the luminescence properties, various detectors such as black and white cameras, color cameras, photomultipliers, spectrometers, photocells, photodiodes, phototransistors can be used alone or in combination. Optical filters such as, for example, can be used in the detection devices Longpass/shortpass/bandpass filters are used. In another embodiment, the means for analyzing can in particular be means for detecting the emissions, which can in particular also include light-conducting elements. In this embodiment, the emission is focused on a sensor so that the sensor does not have to detect the emission directly.

To stimulate the luminescence through the means for analyzing the dynamic luminescence behavior of the luminescent substance, broad-band and/or narrow-band sources such as lasers, laser diodes, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), xenon lamps, halogen lamps can be used individually or in combination. The excitation sources can be activated individually or activated simultaneously or sequentially in different combinations. Optical filters such as long pass/short pass/band pass filters can be used in the excitation devices.

In addition, it is preferred that the means for exciting the luminescence are arranged in a ring shape around the guide tube. This enables the luminescence to be stimulated regardless of the orientation of the luminescence marbling contained in the deposited item. Alignment of the marking is not necessary in this embodiment, which simplifies the process.

The means for exciting and detecting the luminescence can be arranged in the same plane or offset along the guide tube. The arrangement in the same plane has the advantage that the deposited item is already at the level of the detectors at the moment of excitation, so that the maximum intensity of the luminescence emission can be detected.

In addition, it is possible to arrange the means for analyzing the dynamic luminescence behavior of the luminescent substance and the means for exciting the luminescence multiple times along the guide tube, so that multiple excitation and measurement positions are formed along the guide tube. This means that different excitation/measuring combinations can be used when the deposited goods pass through. The sequence and number of excitation and measuring devices can be combined as desired.

In order to identify the deposited item according to the methods presented, an association must be established between the measured luminescence properties on the one hand and the marked deposited item on the other hand.

It is preferred that target luminescence properties are stored in a database. One or more luminescence properties can be determined experimentally for each deposit that contains one or more fluorescent markers. When the identification is carried out, the measured luminescence properties are compared with those previously stored in the database Target luminescence properties are compared and in this way identification is made possible.

The methods according to the invention can be used to identify and/or sort deposited goods.

The subject matter of the application will be explained below using a specific exemplary embodiment, whereby this exemplary embodiment serves only to illustrate and not to limit the scope of protection.

Example:

A device was used in which a guide tube with an inner diameter of 144.6 mm was used. The guide tube was arranged vertically to the ground. An excitation source in the form of 8 LEDs with an emission maximum at 950 nm and an irradiation power of approximately 16 W was used as a means for analyzing the dynamic luminescence behavior. Using the excitation source, excitation pulses with a pulse duration of 20 to 300 µs were generated. There was a pause of 60 µs between the pulses. Furthermore, IR photosensors of the type BTW 34 FS were included as further means of analysis. The intensity of the luminescence emission was measured during the excitation pauses. The light intensity was measured at several time intervals and the decay constant was determined from this.

The device described above was used as an example to identify two different deposited goods. The deposited goods differed (in terms of the luminescent substance they contained) in terms of the excitation maximum, the emission maximum and the decay constants. Decay constants with the values 270 µs and 330 µs were used. After the respective deposited item was placed in the guide tube, the deposited item fell downwards under the influence of gravity. While the deposited item passed through the analysis device mentioned above, the luminescent substance was excited by the irradiation source, the luminescence emission was recorded and the decay constant of the contained luminescence marker was determined in the manner specified above. Both the excitation and the measurement took place during the movement of the deposited item in the guide tube. Based on the decay constant determined, the deposited item was classified, with the decay constant of 270 µs serving to assign a deposit value to the pledged item, while the decay constant of 330 µs served to assign a corresponding non-assignment.

The features of the invention disclosed in the foregoing description and in the claims may be essential to the realization of the invention in its various embodiments, both individually and in any combination.

Claims (8)

1. Method of identifying a deposit-paid items, comprising the steps of:

   a) providing a device comprising:

   aa) guide tube in a substantially upright position tube that has an inlet and an outlet; and

   bb) means for analysing the dynamic luminescence behaviour of a luminescent substance;

   wherein the means for analysing the dynamic luminescence behaviour of the luminescent substance are arranged so as to analyse the dynamic luminescence behaviour of the luminescent substance, even if it is moving, in the guide tube;

   b) introduction of a deposit-paid item that contains the luminescent substance into the guide tube through the inlet;

   c) analysis of the dynamic luminescence behaviour of the luminescent substance that is contained in the deposit-paid item using the means for analysing the dynamic luminescence behaviour of the luminescent substance; and

   d) classification of the deposit-paid item according to the result of the analysis;

   wherein the dynamic luminescence behaviour is the luminescence emission behaviour over time, wherein the intensity of the luminescence emission is integrated over the entire spectrum.
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein a decay constant is determined for one or more emission wavelengths.
3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the luminescent substance is selected from the group of fluorescent materials that emit electromagnetic radiation following electromagnetic excitation, whose wavelength is greater and/or smaller than and/or equal to the excitation wavelength.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the means for analysing the dynamic luminescence behaviour of the luminescent substance are arranged in a ringshaped fashion around the guide tube.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises a further step e) after step d):

   e) sorting of the accordingly classified deposit-paid item.
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a further step f) after step d):

   f) return or retention of the accordingly classified deposit-paid item.
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the deposit-paid item is a returnable bottle.
8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device is a reverse vending machine.